crowell



J. H. CROWELL. Tooth Pick.

No 237,093. "Patented Feb. 1,1881.

NJETERS. FNOTO-UTHOGRAFNER, WASHINGWN, D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GROWELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

l'OOTH-PICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,093, dated February 1, 1881.

' Application filed February 25, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN H. GRowELL, of Providence, Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Tooth-Pick, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tooth-picks in which the pick, composed of quill, whalebone, or other elastic material, held by a holder, slides within a case; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a holder that will hold a .small pick practically secure and stiff; and, second, by having the picks small, to provide within a convenient tooth-pick case a receptacle for them. I attain these objects by the mechanism and construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the entire tooth-pick; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the holder-jaws on the line j h, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a face view of the pick.

The figures are drawn to an enlarged scale of twice the natural size.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A represents the tooth-pick case, one end of which is covered with the cap D. The other end is left open for the purpose of allowing the holder B, with its pick T, to be thrust out and withdrawn for use and protection. The holder B, 'whichis moved in the case A by means of the ring F and connect ing-pin E, guided by the slot 01, is provided with adjustable jaws S S, which are made respectively concave and convex on their inner surfaces, (see Fig. 2,) and which are also made tapering at their outer ends, so that they will coincide with and be actuated by the incline or tapering end of the movable screw-sleeve G, which screws onto the holder at X. These jaws, when griped upon the inserted pick T by the screwing on of the sleeve 0, not only hold the pick securely, but at the same time their respective concave and convex inner surfaces cause the pick to have or retain a curved face, so that it is made practically stifl'.

In the end of the case A opposite to that part which contains the holder B is constructed the pick-receptacle G, which has a fixed partition, 0, for its bottom and screwcap D for its top or cover, and which has for its sides that portion of the case between the partition and the cap.

The pick T, to be made to coincide with the objects of my improvements, is constructed with curved sides, as represented in Fig. 3, so that the pick not only can be made small, but, because of its curved sides, will have its greatest width and strength at its longitudinal center, where it is held securely and practically stifi (when in use) by the jaws of the holder.

I am aware that prior to in y invention toothpicks have been made with picks and pickholders sliding within a case. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tooth-pick, the combination, with a case, of a longitudinally-movable pick-holder located therein, and composed of spring-jaws and threaded clamping-sleeve for closing said jaws, whereby the pick is securely held against accidental detachment and can be projected for use and housed for preservation, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tooth-pick holder, the jaws S S, having respectively concave and convex inner surfaces, substantially as shown, for the purpose set forth.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a tooth-pick composed of a case, a longitudinally-movable pick-holder located therein, and composed of spring jaws and a threaded clamping-sleeve for securely holding the pick against accidental detachment, and a receptacle, G, for containing a number of picks, substantially as described and shown.

4,. The pick T, formed with regular curved convex edges from end to end, having its greatest width at its longitudinal center, substantially as shown.

JOHN H. GROWELL. Witnesses:

GEO. B. ARNOLD, ALLEN HAW'KES. 

